Anchor system for use in forming barrier walls

ABSTRACT

Briefly described, the present disclosure relates to an anchor system for maintaining a driven wall structure in a given position, the wall structure including a plurality of elongated structural panels. Each structural panel has an inner surface, an outer surface, and is disposed adjacent another structural panel. The anchor system includes a first anchor member having a proximal end, a central portion and a distal end. The proximal end includes a domed head and the distal end is threaded. The anchor system further includes a force abutter disposed on the inner side of the wall structure. The first anchor member extends through the wall structure, the domed head is disposed on the outer side of the wall structure and the distal end extends inwardly away from the inner side of the wall structure toward the force abutter.

This application is related to copending U.S Utility patent application entitled “Elongated Structural Members for Use in Forming Barrier Walls,” filed on ______ and accorded Ser. No. XX/XXX,XXX which is entirely incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to driven wall structures such as sea walls, piers, dikes, barrier walls and the like, constructed of extruded structural panels. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to anchor systems and structural members used to maintain driven wall structures in their desired positions.

BACKGROUND

Barrier walls that are formed from a plurality of elongated piles typically are driven into the earth to a depth sufficient to support the panels in an upright attitude. In some cases, the piles are in the form of extruded structural panels and are formed with male and female opposed edges so that similar panels can be locked together at their adjacent edges to form a continuous barrier wall.

In recent years, structural panels have been constructed of polyvinyl chloride and other plastics in order to reduce their weight and susceptibility to corrosion. However, these plastics have relatively low tensile and high compression strengths as compared to steel. To help maintain the structural panels in the desired positions, horizontally mounted structural elements, or wales, and vertically driven foundation members, such as piles, are mounted along the outer surfaces of the structural panels and tie rods extend from the wale elements/foundation members back through the panels to a force abutter disposed behind the barrier wall. Typically, the force abutter is a reinforced cement wall disposed a desired distance behind the barrier wall such that adequate retaining force is exerted from the force abutter through the tie rods against the barrier wall, thereby maintaining the barrier wall in the desired position. Instead of using a force abutter for several tie rods, individual ground anchors may be used with each tie rod.

Typically, the wale elements that have been used to stabilize a retaining wall were comprised of wood. The use of wood in the wales risks significant damage from both exposure to the environment as well as from infestation of the wood elements by wood borers and other insects and organisms. Wale elements also have been comprised of steel and other metals which are susceptible to corrosion when used in aquatic environments such as those that exist near sea walls. Although the steel wale elements can be protected by coatings, these coatings must be breached when passing tie rods through the wale elements to the force abutter disposed behind the barrier wall. The points at which the protective coatings are breached leave the steel wale elements subject to corrosion.

As well, the vertically driven foundation members are also frequently exposed to direct contact with bodies of water. As would be expected for structures such as piers and seawalls, the soils in which the foundation members are driven also frequently exhibit high moisture content. As such, foundation members of these structures are frequently subjected to accelerated decay and subsequent weakness, especially those made of wood. Replacement of damaged and decayed foundation members is both time consuming and expensive. Note also, soils having high moisture content are not only found near bodies of water such as lakes, streams, ponds, etc. Therefore, a need can exist for foundation members that resist decay caused by extended exposure to the elements, such as water, whether or not the structure is located near a body of water.

In the past, foundation members of wood have been impregnated or coated with various chemicals to help offset decay due to exposure to the elements. As would be expected, as those foundation members eventually decay, the chemicals used to treat the wooden foundation members can enter the environment in which the foundation members are used. For example, the potential exists for treated wood foundation members used in constructing a pier to eventually leach the chemicals into both the body of water and the soil the foundation members extend into.

Foundation members may also be constructed of cement and other similar materials. Foundation members constructed of such materials exhibit excellent resistance to corrosion. However, those foundation members are typically extremely heavy and therefore difficult to work with.

Another alternative to chemically treated wood foundation members is foundation members constructed of metal, most frequently steel. As previously noted with regard to metal wales, since most metals typically are subject to corrosion in aquatic environments, those foundation members are frequently painted or coated so as to prevent direct exposure of the metal to the environment. However, foundation members constructed of metal are often exceedingly heavy and therefore difficult to work with, much like the foundation members constructed of cement. As well, it is often desirable to attach or pass various structural elements (bolts, support rods, etc.) through the foundation members. This often requires drilling holes into and through the members. In the case of metal foundation members, breaching the protective coating by drilling can lead to unprotected metal being exposed to the elements, and subsequent corrosion.

As previously noted, tie rods are typically used to transfer retaining force from the force abutter to the barrier wall. Existing tie rods are threaded at one or both ends, or possibly threaded for their entire length, with at least a threaded section extending beyond the sea wall so that a threaded fastener and washer can be secured thereto, thereby transferring the retaining force from the force abutter to the sea wall. The tie rods are typically made of hot dipped galvanized (HDG) steel or stainless steel, both of which exhibit corrosion in salt-water environments. Corrosion is especially prevalent on that portion of the tie rod, washer, and threaded fastener which extend through and outwardly from the sea wall and are therefore exposed to air. Portions of the tie rod behind the sea wall tend to exhibit minimal corrosion as that portion is not exposed to air. Corrosion of the exposed portions of the tie rods often leads to reduced retaining force being exerted on the sea wall, and subsequent costly replacement of the corroded tie rods. Preferably, the life cycles of the various components (wales, piles, anchor system, etc.) are each maximized in that replacement of one component often requires great effort and expense, even though the remaining components still perform adequately.

In the past, portions of the tie rods that are exposed on the outside of the sea wall have been coated with paint, plastics, etc., in an attempt to prevent corrosion. These coatings must be applied after securing the tie rods and related fasteners to the sea wall since coating the threaded portion of the tie rod would prevent attachment of the threaded fastener thereto. At a minimum, securing a threaded fastener to the tie rod would result in damage to the coating on the threaded portion as the threaded fastener is urged thereon. Moreover, existing tie rods pose a threat to objects and watercraft operated in their vicinity since the exposed threaded end has the potential to scrape, puncture, etc. whatever it comes in contact with.

Therefore, there is a need for improved structural members which address these and other shortcomings of the prior art.

SUMMARY

Briefly described, the present disclosure relates to an anchor system for maintaining a driven wall structure in a given position, the wall structure including a plurality of elongated structural panels. Each structural panel has an inner surface, an outer surface, and is disposed adjacent another structural panel. The anchor system includes a first anchor member having a proximal end, a central portion and a distal end. The proximal end includes a domed head and the distal end is threaded. The anchor system further includes a force abutter disposed on the inner side of the wall structure. The first anchor member extends through the wall structure, the domed head is disposed on the outer side of the wall structure and the distal end extends inwardly away from the inner side of the wall structure toward the force abutter.

The present disclosure also relates to a driven wall structure for retaining soil, the wall structure including a plurality of elongated structural panels, each structural panel having an inner surface, an outer surface, and being adjacent at least another structural panel and at least one elongated wale. The wale is horizontally disposed adjacent the outer surface of the wall structure. The wall structure further includes an anchor system for maintaining the wall structure in a fixed position. The anchor system has a first anchor member having a proximal end, a central portion and a distal end, the proximal end including an enlarged head and the distal end being threaded. The anchor system also includes a force abutter disposed on the inner side of the wall structure. The first anchor member extends through the wale and the wall structure, and the enlarged head is disposed on the outer side of the wall structure and the distal end extends inwardly away from the inner side of the wall structure toward the force abutter.

Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a driven wall structure for retaining soil, the wall structure including a plurality of elongated structural panels, each structural panel having an inner surface, an outer surface, and being driven vertically into the soil adjacent a previously driven structural panel. The wall structure further includes at least one elongated wale, the wale being horizontally disposed adjacent the outer surface of the wall structure, and an anchor system for maintaining the wall structure in a fixed position. The anchor system includes a first anchor member, a second anchor member, and a connector. The first anchor member has a proximal end, a central portion and a distal end, the proximal end including a domed head and the distal end being threaded. The second anchor member has a first end, a middle portion, and a second end, the first end of which is threaded. The connector has a pair of threaded ends, each of the pair of threaded ends receives one of the distal end and the second end. A force abutter is disposed on the inner side of the wall structure and the first anchor member extends through the wale and the wall structure. The domed head is disposed on the outer side of the wall structure and the distal end extends inwardly away from the inner side of the wall structure. The first end of the second anchor member is secured to the force abutter and the second end extends toward the wall structure, the distal end and the second end are secured together by the connector.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the anchor system can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present anchor system. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of a barrier wall constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, used as a sea wall.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the barrier wall shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a partially cut-away, side elevation of the barrier wall, wale, pile, abutter and anchor rod of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 1, taken along line 3-3.

FIG. 4 illustrates a partially cut-away, side elevation of an alternative embodiment of the barrier wall, wale, pile, abutter and anchor rod of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 1, taken along line 3-3.

FIG. 5 illustrates a partially cut-away, side elevation of an alternative embodiment of the barrier wall, wale, pile, and force abutter of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 1, taken along line 3-3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to the description of the anchor system as illustrated in the drawings. While the anchor system will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit it to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the anchor system as defined by the appended claims.

In particular, FIG. 1 illustrates a driven wall structure, in the form of a sea wall 10, constructed of elongated structural panels 12, wales 20, and piles 26 according to the present disclosure. The sea wall 10 forms a retainer for the soil 11 on the backside of the sea wall 10, with water 15 at the front surface. The panels 12 extend vertically with lower ends received in the subsoil below the lower level of the body of water 15. Wales 20 are mounted along outer surfaces of the structural panels 12 and accept anchor members 32 (FIG. 3) which extend to a force abutters or similar anchors on the opposite side of the sea wall 10. A typical force abutter would comprise an anchor wall 60 of poured reinforced concrete placed behind the barrier wall 10 and extending generally parallel to the barrier wall 10. Several anchor members can be connected to a single force abutter 60.

Referring now to FIG. 2, each wale 20 forms a constant, uniform cross-section from end-to-end. In a preferred embodiment, each wale 20 includes in cross-section a wooden core 22 with an outer coating 24 of a material such as plastic, vinyl, polyethylene, polypropylene, etc. As well, each pile 26 has a wooden core (not shown) and an outer coating 24 formed of a material such as plastic, vinyl, polyethylene, polypropylene, etc. Although wooden wales 20 and piles 26 are typically square and round in cross-section, respectively, embodiments of the present disclosure include wales 20 and piles 26 of various cross-sections. As well, embodiments of the disclosed anchor system are envisioned wherein the wales 20 and/or piles 26 are constructed from materials other than wood, such as aluminum, steel, polyvinylchloride, composite materials, etc.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ends of the wales 20 show an exposed wooden core 22, which has been done for better understanding of the present disclosure. Preferably, the outer coating 24 of each wale 20 will cover the ends of each wale 20 as well as its entire length so that no portion of the wale 20 is directly exposed to the environment. However, it may be necessary at times to cut a wale 20 to size, thereby breaching the outer coating 24. For example, this may be necessary when bringing two wales 20 into abutment. As such, preferred embodiments of the disclosure include a sleeve 25 of a material such as plastic, vinyl, polyethylene, polypropylene, etc., to cover and protect the joint 27 (dashed line) between adjacent wales 20 with their wooden cores 22 exposed. The sleeve 25 is dimensioned such that the wales 20 are slidably received therein and minimal water, debris, insects, etc., are able to pass between the sleeve 25 and the respective outer coatings 24. Similarly, a sleeve 25 with an end wall (not shown) can be used as an end cap for a wale 20 with an exposed wooden core 22.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an anchor system according to the present disclosure taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1. Typically, when a structural panel 12 is to be driven into the earth at the construction site, the structural panel 12 is positioned above and adjacent a previously installed structural panel 12. The structural panel 12 being installed is then moved downwardly so that the locking elements (not shown), typically male and female elements, guide along the length of the locking elements of the adjacent previously installed panel 12. The structural panel 12 is progressively moved downwardly by driving, vibration, gravity or other external forces, until the upper end of the structural panel 12 becomes located approximately the desired height. If necessary, the upper ends of the structural panels 12 that do not reach the desired height can be cut away.

After adjacent structural panels 12 have been driven to the desired height, an anchor system 30 is installed. Portions of the preferred anchor system 30 shown in FIG. 3 include a first anchor member 32, a second anchor member 40, a turnbuckle 50, and a threaded fastener 45. To secure the wall 10 in a desired position, a plurality of wales 20 are positioned horizontally along the outer surface of the wall 10 for support. Note also, the wales 20 as described can also be used as vertical structural members. Preferably, however, piles 26 are used as vertical structural members that are driven into the soil at desired spacing along the wall 10, so as to be in contact with the wales 20. Preferably, the piles 26 are substantially parallel to the wall 10 and intersect the wales 20 at a point where the wale 20 is “sandwiched” between the outer surface 16 of the wall 10 and a pile 26. By so positioning the piles 26, the installer can drill holes through the piles 26 and the wales 20 that are required to receive portions of the anchor system, such as anchor members, at these points of intersection, thereby exerting maximum retention force on the wall 10. However, these holes may also be drilled where the wales 20 are not in direct contact with the wall 10.

A plurality of second support members 40, preferably tie rods, are installed such that one end is securely attached to a force abutter 60, in this case, a poured reinforced concrete wall that runs substantially adjacent to the wall 10 at a desired distance in the soil 11 behind the wall 10. The opposite end of each tie rod 40 is threadably secured to one end of a turnbuckle 50, which has threaded receptacles at opposed ends. Next, a plurality of first anchor members 32, preferably domed head bolts, each including a threaded end and an end with a dome-shaped head 34, are installed. Typically, each threaded end of a bolt 32 is passed through a pile 26, wale 20, and structural panel 16 of the wall. The domed head 34 acts as a force spreader such that the force exerted on the wale 20 and/or pile 26 is evenly distributed. The threaded end is then secured to the threaded receptacle opposite the one to which the tie rod 40 is secured. The turnbuckle 50 is then rotated to exert either greater or less force on the wall 10. This process is repeated until an adequate number of tie rods 22 are installed along the wall 10 such that adequate force is exerted thereon to hold the wall 10 in the desired position.

As shown in FIG. 4, an alternate embodiment of an anchor system 30′ according to the present disclosure are envisioned where the first anchor member 32 having a dome shaped head 34 extends all the way from the outside of the wall 10 to the force abutter. The alternate embodiment of the anchor system 30′ shown in FIG. 4 differs from that of FIG. 3 in that the force abutter is a driven pile 26 having a wooden core 22 and a protective outer coating 28.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of an anchor system according to the present disclosure. Similar to the previously disclosed embodiment, after adjacent structural panels 12 have been driven to the desired height, an anchor system 30″ is installed. The anchor system 30″ as shown in FIG. 5 differs primarily from that as shown in FIG. 3 in that the force abutter is a driven wooden pile 26 having a protective outer coating 28 and the tie rods 40′, threaded fasteners 45, and ogee washers 49 are used to transfer retention forces from the force abutters to the sea wall 10. To secure the wall 10 in a desired position, the plurality of wales 20 and piles 26 are positioned along the sea wall 10, as previously discussed. After so positioning the wales 20 and piles 26, the installer can drill holes through the piles 26 and the wales 20 at the points of intersection, as previously noted.

Next, the plurality of tie rods 40′ are installed such that one end is securely attached to a force abutter, in this case, a wooden pile 26 with a protective coating 28. The wooden pile 26 is vertically driven such that it is substantially parallel to the wall 10 at a desired distance in the soil 11 behind the wall 10. The opposite end of each tie rod 40′ is passed through the structural panel 12, the wale 20, and the pile 26 such that it is exposed on the exterior surface of the wall 10. Preferably, a force spreader such as an ogee washer 49 is placed about the tie rod 40′ such that the force exerted on the pile 26 is evenly distributed. Lastly, the ogee washer 49 is secured adjacent to the pile 26 with a threaded fastener 45. This process is repeated until an adequate number of tie rods 40′ are installed along the wall 10 such that adequate force is exerted thereon to hold it in the desired position.

Although preferred embodiments of the anchor system have been disclosed in detail herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of the disclosed embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the anchor system as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A driven wall structure for retaining soil, comprising: a plurality of elongated structural panels, each said structural panel having an inner surface, an outer surface, and being driven vertically into the soil adjacent a previously driven structural panel; at least one elongated wale, said wale being horizontally disposed adjacent said outer surface of said wall structure; an anchor system for maintaining said wall structure in a fixed position, said anchor system including: a first anchor member having a proximal end, a central portion and a distal end, said proximal end including a domed head and said distal end being threaded, and a plastic coating on said proximal end and its domed head and on said central portion; a second anchor member having a first end, a middle portion, and a second end, said first end being threaded; a connector having a pair of threaded ends, each of said pair of threaded ends receiving one of said distal end and said second end; and a force abutter disposed on said inner side of said wall structure; wherein said first anchor member extends through said wale and said wall structure, said plastic coated domed head is disposed on said outer side of said wall structure, said plastic coated proximal end extends through said wale and said structural panel, and said distal end extends inwardly away from said inner side of said wall structure, said first end of said second anchor member is secured to said force abutter and said second end extends toward said wall structure, and said distal end and said second end are secured together by said connector.
 2. The driven wall structure of claim 1, wherein said connector is a turnbuckle configured to draw said distal end and said second end together when turned in a first direction.
 3. The driven wall structure of claim 1, further comprising a vertically driven pile positioned in abutment with a side of said wale opposite form said structural panels, the plastic coated proximal end of said first anchor member extending through said pile, through said wale and through said structural panel such that only the coated domed head of said first anchor member extends beyond the pile and is directly exposed to the atmosphere.
 4. The driven wall structure of claim 1, wherein said wale further comprises a wooden wale with a plastic outer coating.
 5. The driven wall structure of claim 1, wherein said force abutter further comprises an anchor wall disposed in the soil and said second anchor member further comprises a tie-rod.
 6. The driven wall structure of claim 3, wherein said proximal end of said first anchor member extends through the structural panel at an interval where the structural panel engages the wale, such that the exposure of the proximal end of the first anchor member directly to the atmosphere is minimized by said pile, said wale, and said structural panel.
 7. The driven wall structure of claim 6, wherein said force abutter is a pile.
 8. (canceled)
 9. The driven wall structure of claim 1, further comprising: an elongated pile being driven vertically into the soil such that said pile is adjacent said wale; and wherein said first anchor member further extends through said pile, and said domed head spreads the force applied by the first anchor member to said pile.
 10. The driven wall structure of claim 9, wherein said pile further comprises a wooden pile with a plastic outer coating.
 11. A driven wall structure for retaining soil, comprising: a plurality of elongated structural panels, each said structural panel being adjacent at least another said structural panel to form a wall with an inner surface and an outer surface; at least one elongated wale, said wale being horizontally disposed adjacent said outer surface of said wall; a plurality of vertically driven piles engaging said wale; and an anchor system for maintaining said wall structure in a fixed position, said anchor system including: a first anchor member having a proximal end, a central portion and a distal end, said proximal end including an enlarged head, said proximal end and said central portion coated with plastic and said distal end being threaded; and a force abutter disposed on said inner side of said wall structure; said coated portion of said first anchor member extending through said pile and said wale and said wall structure, said enlarged head of said proximal end is disposed adjacent said pile on said outer side of said pile and said distal end of said first anchor member extends inwardly away from said inner side of said wall toward said force abutter.
 12. The driven wall structure of claim 11, said anchor system further comprising: a second anchor member having a first end, a middle portion, and a second end, said first end being threaded; a connector having a pair of threaded ends, each of said pair of threaded ends receiving one of said distal end and said second end; and wherein said first end of said second anchor member is secured to said force abutter and said second end extends toward said wall, and said distal end and said second end are secured together by said connector.
 13. The driven wall structure of claim 12, wherein said connector is a turnbuckle configured to draw said distal end and said second end together when turned in a first direction.
 14. (canceled)
 15. The driven wall structure of claim 11, wherein said wale further comprises a wooden wale with a plastic outer coating.
 16. (canceled)
 17. The driven wall structure of claim 11, wherein said pile comprises a wooden pile with a plastic outer coating and said wale comprises a wooden wale with a plastic outer coating.
 18. The driven wall structure of claim 11, wherein said enlarged head is dome shaped.
 19. An anchor system for maintaining a driven wall structure in a given position, the wall structure including a plurality of elongated structural panels, each structural panel having an inner surface, an outer surface, and being disposed adjacent another structural panel, the anchor system comprising: a first anchor member having a proximal end, a central portion and a distal end, said proximal end including a domed head and said distal end being threaded, said proximal end and its domed head being coated with plastic, and a force abutter disposed on the inner side of the wall structure; wherein the coated portion said first anchor member extends through the wall structure, said domed head is disposed on the outer side of the wall structure and said distal end extends inwardly away from the inner side of the wall structure toward said force abutter.
 20. The anchor system of claim 19, further including: a second anchor member having a first end, a middle portion, and a second end, said first end being threaded; a connector having a pair of threaded ends, each of said pair of threaded ends receiving one of said distal end and said second end; and said first end of said second anchor member is secured to said force abutter and said second end extends toward said wall structure, and said distal end and said second end are secured together by said connector.
 21. The driven wall structure of claim 20, wherein said connector is a turnbuckle configured to draw said distal end and said second end together when turned in a first direction and a plastic coating is disposed on said proximal end and said central portion of said first anchor member. 